A Penstemon flower, also known as a Beardstongue, at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

When people think of the "most Colorado" wildflower, a common answer would be the columbine flower. But to Panayoti Kelaidís, a senior curator and director of outreach at Denver Botanic Gardens, the answer is clear, but different: the Beardtongue, aka the Penstemon. The wildflower grows all over the Rocky Mountains and spans the entire spectrum of blues—a rarity in wildflowers.